Sleepy Foods

As we all know, certain foods will make you sleepy, like after a turkey dinner, you're usually ready for a nap. But why? Researchers have targeted most sleep-inducing foods to have marked amounts of 'tryptophan', an amino acid that increases the production of seritonin and melatonin. So how can we take advantage of these sleepy time foods? Here's six foods that have been proven to help you get those extra Z's.

1) Warm Milk;
While some researchers claim the effect of warm milk is purely psychological, but it does have a minor does of tryptophan (85mg). But cap your night time drink to one cup, too much liquid and you'll be running to the bathroom and waking up in the night.

2)Whole Grain Bread;
While whole grain bread doesn't have much in the way of tryptophan, carbohydrates increase insulin, which clears the bloodstream of amino acids that compete with tryptophan. So eating a piece of whole grain toast (or other whole grain food) will increse how much of tyhe calming amino acid reaches your brain.

3)Peanut Butter;
Tryptophan occurs naturally in almost all foods that contain protein, including peanut butter. Put a little peanut butter on a slice of whole grain bread and wash down with a cup of milk and then...wait. It takes about an hour for the brain to register increased tryptophan levels. So while you wait relax with your regular bedtime routine, having a routine helps signal your brain it's time for sleep.

4)Bananas;
This fruit is filled with tryptophan and natural sugars to naturally boost serotonin production, plus magnesium to keep muscles relaxed. If you suffer from sleep apnea, according to researchers from the University of New England, bananas contain certain compunds that help keep the throat open several hours after eating (brief throat closure is a common symptom of sleep apnea)

5)Eggs;
A single egg contains approximately 180 mg of tryptophan, making scrambled eggs on a slice of whole grain toast a great sleeper hit. When it comes to eggs and other protein-dense foods, always pair with a carb, like whole grain bread. Eaten alone, the many amino acids in proteins work to blunt the effects of tryptophan; adding carbs triggers the rush of insulin that clears the bloodstream of these competing amino acids.

6)Sesame Seeds;

Sprinkle these tryptophan rich sesame seeds and you might get to sleep early tonight. Try this  Thyme and Sesame-Crusted Halibut (pictured below) as fish is also a good bet for tryptophan. Or try tahini (ground sesame seeds) used in place of peanut butter on crackers or toast.

But why does a turkey dinner make us want to sleep until dessert? While tukey does contain tryptophan, you could omit the turkey from your chirstmas dinner and still feel that fatigue after eating. That's because we overeat at big family meals, and when we overeat we overwork our stomach and it takes a lot of energy for our body to digest the food, making us tired.

So if you feel like you aren't getting enough sleep, try some of these sleepy foods. Remember to give yourself an hour or so after eating to get ready for bed. Sleep tight!

My Neighbours, Mega Sushi

Kara L
     As some people may or may not know, I work at the Starbucks at Austin Station. Also at Austin Station is a little sushi restaurant called Mega Sushi.  I have been going there for a few years now, since they opened in their original location, and I have to say it is my new favourite sushi place. The inside is very small with only 3 or four small booths and about 2 tables, but it doesn't feel claustrophobic. The staff is extremely friendly, and I have always found the service to be very fast, unless you happen to have an abnormally large order.
     Now, not only is the food great, and the service great, but these guys know me by face (which is a little embarrassing for me, but oh well), and they always give me free food. Whether I'm eating in, or taking out, I always find them handing me extras. They know my favourite roll, a finger roll (which is delicious, I recommend it), and they always seem to be appearing in my orders when I haven't ordered any.
     Around Christmas this year, it might have been Christmas eve, I was working along with my fellow baristas, and one of the cooks walked over and delivered a huge platter of sushi to us, completely free! He said it was their way of wishing us a merry Christmas, and I don't think I will ever forget that. That platter was full of beautiful sashimi and rolls, it was probably over $60.00 worth. Whenever I am working and I go to pick up sushi on my break, they will give me extra rolls and appetizers to share with my coworkers, they always say "for our neighbour."
     As you can probably tell, I love the atmosphere here, and though they aren't the cheapest place in town, they definitely charge a fair price for what they serve. All in all, Mega Sushi is a place you have to try.

Here's a link for their website with a menu: http://www.megasushi.ca/

Their dragon rolls are delicious and adorable!

The Perfect Hot Chocolate

This March it was snowing, which I think most people would find odd, but it also gave me the idea of how it was still before spring and there were still some few days of winter left. So I had decided to make myself a warm brew of hot chocolate, but I wanted to prepare one that was particularly unique and special to the rest to close off this year's winter season with a perfect soothing delight. Here's a video on how to make a delicious homemade hot chocolate;
(here's the link if the video doesn't work;http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6COa9lISZGo&feature=player_detailpage)

I know, that woman has a really monotone voice... Anyway, I haven't used this method before, my way for making hot chocolate is way simpler; I heat a mug of milk in the microwave for 2-3 minutes, and add about 2 spoonfuls of cocoa powder and stir. I also add a scoop Cool Whip on top for an extra treat. So, I tried making the hot chocolate in this video to see how it differs with mine, and hope that it really is as good as it's depicted to be. That's the picture of mine on the left. It's too bad I didn't have any chocolate I could use on top though. Still, after I made the hot chocolate and tried it, I was amazed about how delicious it was! The primary difference it made between my original hot chocolate and this one was probably the cinnamon sprinkled on top. It added a very satisfying taste that was sweet and made a cozy feeling. I would like to try it again some time and maybe add small marshmellows or whip cream with chocolate syrup. If you have ever ordered a hot chocolate from Tim Horton's, they have whipping cream with chocolate syrup, and it really tastes good. I'd like to find out if combining the video's hot chocolate with Tim Horton's hot chocolate will create the perfect hot chocolate that I've been looking for. Don't get me wrong, this hot chocolate I've made has been the best cup of hot chocolate I've ever had, and I recommend you try it at home, it's really easy to make and takes no time at all! Whatever the perfect ingredient to hot chocolate is, there's no better beverage to enjoy at home in the cold months of winter.

110$ Burger, wait what?

Mason B

110$ burger

When I want food I want it quickly and at a low cost. The hamburger is one of my personal favourites. A hamburger is the highlight of fast food, easily made, simple, and full of greasy goodness. Recently though I came across a luxury burger for 110$. This baffled me as to spend 110$ on a hamburger is a waste of money. If you want to spend that kind of money on food you should at least eat something fancy. But this burger is fancy.

The burger itself is made of a seven-ounce patty made from finest Japanese Kobe beef with wasabi mayonnaise and Italian Portobello mushrooms in a home-made onion-wheat bun. It is served with Asian pear, French foie gras, French fries, and a glass of wine.

The extent our food is developing is astonishing, a burger like this is something Americans would enjoy, yet it is served only in a hotel residing in Indonesia. The combination of many high end ingredients also adds to its grandeur.

As people get more and more good foods we will seek out even better foods.  Due to this I think that there will be many different kinds of high class food in the future. Although the idea of paying 110$ is a little much the idea is still a good one.

Personally I still believe in quantity over quality but for those of us who have extra money lying around this presents a nice luxurious dinner option.

Video

Read more: http://digitaljournal.com/article/77997#ixzz1uJmAAy3G

Chronic Tacos: a Mexican twist for Vancouver

Vancouver is a city known for a few things, beautiful natural scenery, vibrant city life, great music and of course, mouth watering food. Our sushi is world famous, our Japanese infusion hotdogs have become an international phenomenon, our street vendors have shaped our culture, and now Mexican food has made it’s mark on the city. Chronic Tacos, an urban Mexican restaurant founded in California, has 7 locations outside of the golden state, and 4 of them are in the heart of Vancouver.

After hearing ad after ad on local radio stations, I knew I would have to check it out, so I took some friends down for a pre-concert dinner. I visited the Granville location, right in the middle of the Vancouver nightlife and concert scene. The restaurant perfectly reflected the culture of the area, with walls decorated in urban art, TVs hung up, showing the play-offs, and multiply pierced staff waiting to make up your tacos fresh.

I was impressed by the whole experience. Their radio tagline, “If it’s not fresh, what’s the point of putting it in your mouth?” now makes perfect sense to me, because the food was cheap (about 25 dollars for four people to eat) and just as fresh and delicious as they promised. I had their famous fish taco and couldn’t resist going back for another; this time, a chicken taco. I fell in love with the flavors! They were both divine, and I was told by my friends that the burrito option and less spicy option were equally as savory. Of course, they serve more than your basic tacos, everything from tostada bowls to nachos and quesadillas is available to fulfill your wildest mexican food dreams. Food coma, achieved.

 

textbook perfect taco

Another plus was the superb service. As I mentioned, everyone working there fit the lifestyle. The young employees were friendly, efficient and so relaxed. The store is open quite late to accommodate the partiers in need of a 2 am post club re-fueling. But even I (who am not of age & therefore do not go clubbing) felt at home at Chronic Tacos, despite my lack of tattoos.

I can now appreciate the recent addition to Vancouver’s food scene and I suggest everyone check it out, because who can’t appreciate the perfect taco?

Check out their website for more info on my new favorite taco makers.

-Neve

Cora's

I have been wanting to try a breakfast place in Coquitlam called Cora's for a while, and on saturday morning I finally got to go with a couple of my friends, and it definitely lived up to my expectations.
I got a strawberry waffle which was topped with whipped cream, and a lot of fresh strawberries.
My one friend ordered a raspberry crepe and my other friend ordered a spinach chedder omelete!
I was very impressed with how fresh everything was, and we also got very good portion sizes.
As a server myself, I am decently picky about the service I recieve eating out, and I've got to say the service was perfect!
The prices were decent, and you definitely feel like you are getting a lot of food for your money!



My friends and I have been trying to eat healthy recently, and it was very easy to do so at Cora`s with all the fresh fruit options.
When I go to breakfast places such as IHOP and Dennys I always overload on bacon,toast,and pancakes;however, at Cora`s all the fresh fruit choices look so delicious that you feel satisfied having that instead of a greasy breakfast!
I would definitely recommend Coras to everyone!
Great food, Great prices, and Great service!